Fifty Plus (50+) - Biking and Mid West weather

I do not know if you guys noticed the weather mess around here. I mean it rains and rains and there is thunder and the sky lights up with lightening. Rivers are overflowing, bike pads under water and the roads to the bike pads also. There is T.storms predicted daily and I would never bike if I go by forecasts.
Of course I do not.:D

Here is my story of this afternoon. Look at the radar if you read this.
I bike North from Brodhead, WI to New Glarus this afternoon (23 miles). Access roads are under water. A foot of water on part of the raised Rail to Trail. The weather is muggy, buggy and looks wet. Get to New Glarus and snack. Turn around and return. The trail goes through forest restricting view of the sky. About 9 miles of the return leg.
Suddenly I hear serious thunder. I look around and see big ominous clouds at SW and I am going South.

What to do? Turn back? There is no shelter. I am in a swamp. Those clouds are coming fast.
WTF. Full speed ahead. Lets see if I can outrun that storm. Going 20-25 MPH. The storm is at 3 o'clock and very close. Lightening and banging away. I go faster like you would with some big dogs behind you. Storm is at 4'oclock and finally behind me. I go like hell and make Brodhead and look back.
Man, it was very black and looked scary.
That was a very interesting bike trip.
I am now sitting on my enclosed balcony seeing and listening to that same huge storm hitting this town.

I am surprised you went out in this stuff. And I don't know how you rode that fast on sloppy, muddy, soft trails.

I would have stopped in Albany, at the picnic shelter and waited out the storm. But then again, the storm would have caught me.

will-haven't you heaard? the trails are closed!

I am surprised you went out in this stuff. And I don't know how you rode that fast on sloppy, muddy, soft trails.

I would have stopped in Albany, at the picnic shelter and waited out the storm. But then again, the storm would have caught me.

Tom- Did you look at the radar? This thing is humongous. You or I would have to stay overnight at Albany.
I think I got lucky and made a correct decision for once.
I could not stop looking at my mirror and seeing that storm behind me. Now we got another storm here.

Were the tornado sirens going off?

I know what you mean about big ugly clouds and watching lightning giving you wings.

BTW, you are not in the Midwest. You are in the UPPER Midwest. Here in the real Midwest, it is still hot and dry. Huge difference.

We will be in Shabbona for a dog trial this weekend and will be packing our cool weather clothing. What a relief that will be

will-haven't you heaard? the trails are closed!

You may be correct but I found that those rules can also be ignored with impunity.
County T in WI was officially closed. I went anyway. The road was just a little wet. Some bloody fool did not want the county or whatever get sued if someone has an accident. At that rate we will soon all stay home. (see bridges in the USA)
If someone is looking for 100% safety, he/she has to go into a casket.

.

BTW, you are not in the Midwest. You are in the UPPER Midwest. Here in the real Midwest, it is still hot and dry. Huge difference.

You are not in the center of the Midwest, you are so far south that you are barely in the Midwest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Census_Regions_and_Divisions.PNG

Southern Wisconsin is closer to the geographic center of the Midwest than Springfield, MO. The center of the Midwest is roughly about where the Quad Cities are located. That's about 100 miles from Monroe, WI.

Were the tornado sirens going off?

I know what you mean about big ugly clouds and watching lightning giving you wings.

BTW, you are not in the Midwest. You are in the UPPER Midwest. Here in the real Midwest, it is still hot and dry. Huge difference.

We will be in Shabbona for a dog trial this weekend and will be packing our cool weather clothing. What a relief that will be

I live here for 25 years and have not seen these kind of storms. Perhaps the weather is changing?
I am no fan of Gore but things are changing so it seems to me.

I read about your neck of the woods. It is really hot there. Of course we think of you as the South. I remember my days in Chicago. Indianapolis was thought as the South. That has changed. Even KY and TN are now embraced as industrial Midwest.

Wikipedia does not know diddly squat about the midwest and apparently neither does the U.S. Census. Everyone knows that the real Midwest consists of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois. All other states are mere pretenders.

Ha! Listen up you Southerner!

If one drew a circle stretching 200 miles from the center of the Midwest, this area in south central Wisconsin would be well within that circle. While you and the rest of your Southerner clan would still lie about 200 miles *outside* of the heart of the Midwest.

You can't sit 50 miles north of Arkansas and be in the heart of the Midwest.

My bone with those regional boundaries has always been the inclusion of West Virginia in the South. WV left the South during the Civil War. I grew up watching Pennsylvania TV stations, went to college 8 miles south of Pennsylvania, we were taught the "Yankee" side of the Civil War in school, play in the Big East sports conference, and for the most part, never identified with the South in any way.

Maryland is also lumped in the South and is an ill-fit there.

Where I grew up in WV is north of Springfield, MO.

I went out yesterday on a 44 mile ride to Cambridge and the weather went from great to horrible in 10 minutes. Must have been the same storm system you describe Will. I got back just in time.

Best motivator for doing Zone 5 workouts is an oncoming thunderstorm. I averaged 18.5mph for the last 15miles.

We got 2 inches of rain in 30min!

I went out yesterday on a 44 mile ride to Cambridge and the weather went from great to horrible in 10 minutes. Must have been the same storm system you describe Will. I got back just in time.

Best motivator for doing Zone 5 workouts is an oncoming thunderstorm. I averaged 18.5mph for the last 15miles.

We got 2 inches of rain in 30min!

Yes, the same storm system. I checked the radar screens and that storm stretched North South from Green Bay, WI to the middle of IL and West East from MN and IO east to Detroit. Very mean looking affair with multiple storm systems and many thunder storms.
I am glad I did not look at that before the bike ride. The experience was exhilarating.
It is my experience that I get the best bike rides in this marginal weather.
As someone once said:
It is 78 F, wind from the back and the birds are singing. Where is the challenge for a bike ride in that?

Wikipedia does not know diddly squat about the midwest and apparently neither does the U.S. Census. Everyone knows that the real Midwest consists of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois. All other states are mere pretenders.

And just where would you put us Buckeyes:D:D

Until this thread enlightened me, I was under the opinion that the Mid West goes from the foothills of the Rockies to the foothills of Appalachia. From Canada to the Rebel states of the Civil War.

I am glad to hear that there are other fuzzy definitions.;)

Until this thread enlightened me, I was under the opinion that the Mid West goes from the foothills of the Rockies to the foothills of Appalachia. From Canada to the Rebel states of the Civil War.

I am glad to hear that there are other fuzzy definitions.;)


Many will define the basic Midwest as those states that were part of the old Northwest Territory---Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Westward extensions, both culturally and geographically are Iowa and Minnesota. Eastern Nebraska and Kansas and the eastern Dakotas are the Midwest. One travel writer noted that when travelling east across the northern plains the boundry between West and Midwest was where men in one town wore cowboy hats but in the next town east wore seed-caps.

Missouri and Kentucky are tricky; geographically much of both states could be considered Midwestern but both were slave states and that sets them apart culturally. On the other hand during the War of the Rebellion most of the white population of both states was loyal to The United States and provided far more men to fight against the rebellion than for it.

I consider Illinois the heart of the Midwest and the greatest state in the Union.

And just where would you put us Buckeyes:D:D

Oh the answers that spring to mind!

Man, that reminds me of why I am happy to have left Illinois. There was a an old rail box car on a siding on one of my longer routes, and I remember taking thunderstorm shelter in it several times. I always worried that the railroad would come and take their car while I was using it for shelter, but they never did.

Many will define the basic Midwest as those states that were part of the old Northwest Territory---Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Westward extensions, both culturally and geographically are Iowa and Minnesota.

Yes, the classic definition of the Midwest. That's what always comes to my mind first. And that's what I thought of when T-man jumped in with his Missouri comments. Heck, I don't even consider Missouri to be part of the Midwest, much less the heart of it. And the Dakotas, Nebraska, etc., are the Plains States, not the Midwest.

The line of states that comprise the border between the North and South have no clear place. Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri. Sometimes Delaware & Maryland are grouped into a Mid-Atlantic group, which includes New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but leaves out West Virginia - despite portions of it being much further east than western Maryland and portions being further north than all of Maryland, Delaware, and even parts of southern Pennsylvania and NJ. One can live in WV and be within 85 miles of Cleveland, OH.

Here's a map showing the classic vs expanded Midwest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:US_map-Midwest.PNG

In this, one can see that Chicago is the hub/center of the classic Midwest.

Hopefully all of this rain will cease soon. We are now over 11" for the month, an all-time high in recorded weather history for Dane County, WI. We still have 9 days to go this month and rain is in the forecast for some of them.

One of the reasons for the trails being closed is to prevent damage to them. When they are soft, bike tires sink into the trails and create ruts. When (If) the sun comes out and dries the mud, then the trail is much bumpier than it was before.

"Those clouds are coming fast. WTF. Full speed ahead."

WTF? Is that "Watchout There, Fred"?

When (If) the sun comes out and dries the mud, then the trail is much bumpier than it was before.

The sun is out now in Milwaukee - I'd better hurry out as it will only last 15 minutes.

Seriously, I have not been on my bike for 10 days, it's all I can do to keep the lawn mowed between the rains - mowed three times in 7 days. :mad: Saturday morning I hit the roads - the grass can wait.

Oh, and I am a classic Midwest interpreter, though I have always thought of Ohio as east :). I guess they're in the Big Ten, so I'll allow it. But I will not extend the same courtesy to Pennsylvania.

Classic riding weather over here. Temps in the 70's and headwinds not too strong- That has been the case for most of the year and still able to get out 3 days a week for decent dry rides. In fact- I think I have only put off one ride this year due to rain. That is on the ride nights- In between- lots of high wind- lots of rain and cool temps. I don't think I have known a year when the hosepipe has had less use. Last winter was not too bad either so I have nothing to complain about. It would appear that we are getting warmer, dryer winters and Cooler, wetter summers. But that is just locally as Several parts of the UK have had floods this year.

I know it is purely regional but we can normally expect some Storms at this time of the year in the South East. They just have not come. Few heavy rain days that have caused localised flooding but nothing serious. Only problem is that our weather comes from the West- so if you have it bad now- How long before we call out the Lifeboats?

It's been hot as Hell here in the Bluegrass so I get out around 7:30-8 in the morning and ride around until 9:30-10 o'clock. By then I'm really leaking.

Then I do my situps and such and jump in the shower, then have coffee and a cigar on the porch.

There is a lake falling out of the sky right now on Naperville. I was picking up my daughter at the HS and watched some poor wretched biker struggling mightily through nearly a foot of water on the nearby road, torrents from the sky, and repeated drenchings from passing vehicles. It was an amazing display of tenacity --up off the saddle pedaling with great determination. I watched until he disappeared from sight. Wow.

Wikipedia does not know diddly squat about the midwest and apparently neither does the U.S. Census. Everyone knows that the real Midwest consists of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois. All other states are mere pretenders.

Actually - Nebraska and Kansas, are probably better referred to as "Central" with the continental geographic center being very close to Smith Center, Kansas (marked with a USGS pin). (We're willing to accept N/S Dakota, NE, OK, TX, MN, IA, AR, and LA in the central as well)

I always found it funny that the area just west of the East but north of the Mason-Dixon was called Mid-West and Kansas was east of the west but central. East-Midwest-Central-West? East-Midwest-Mid/Midwest-West?

Why not East - Mid East (to the Mississippi R.) - Midwest (to Colorado/Kansas border) - then the West? East-Mideast-Midwest-West!

But - what do I know I'm from Kansas and I didn't even realize it was flat here... I thought it was sloped. So I guess I'm ok with Central.

The total is now up over 14" for the month of August. The ponds and lakes (and even creeks) are way up. Highest I've seen them in years.

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One of the reasons for the trails being closed is to prevent damage to them. When they are soft, bike tires sink into the trails and create ruts. When (If) the sun comes out and dries the mud, then the trail is much bumpier than it was before.

Outsch, and I thought rck was joking. There is no sign saying that the trail is closed. I did not hear it and there are folks biking. (not many but a few)
I am using 38 mm tires and, really, they are not sinking in. However, I must say, the trail surface is in bad shape from water run off (not bike tires). There is also lots of branches and a few trees down.

Now that I think of it: There was a maintenance crew and fee collector. Neither said anything to me.

Grasslander----During the War of the Rebellion the people of the current Midwest were called "Westerners". The Western Yankees were noted as more ferocious fighters, faster marchers and more enthusiastic pillagers than the Eastern Yankees. The two armies that tore the rebellion apart, the Army of the Cumberland and Army of the Tennessee, were Westerners. Except for the loyal Virginian George Thomas the best Yankee Generals were Westerners too----Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, McPherson, Logan, Blair, McClernand, Ord. And let's not forget the Hoosier general Jefferson Davis. ;)

South or Midwest or Central? All I know is I'm riding in some soup. (humidity)

86 degrees and 59% humidity 10:35 PM Central

And let's not forget the Hoosier general Jefferson Davis. ;)

I've always found it ironic that the area which became the Socialist Republic of Madison, WI was "discovered/explored" by Jefferson Davis in 1829.

Later in 1865, Davis was captured by a soldier from Madison.

Last night I drove over to the Township Hall, where we start a lot of our rides. A tandem and two singles also showed up. The sky was speckled with little puffball clouds and the radar was clear. It was hot and uncomfortably humid, so we decided on a short ride. We did one of our shorter loops, and as we turned onto the last stretch, we saw a huge dark cloud piling up to the west. The longer we watched it, the taller it got and the faster we rode! Oh no, it was flattening out on top! Pretty soon we were doing 22-25 mph and I was dropping the tandem on every little hill. The singles were waaaaay back. Got back to the start point, circled the building once, loaded my bike in the truck, and then the other single rider came in. before he got his bike loaded, the rain started.

I don't know how much rain we got total, but it came in squalls, with wind gusts up to 70 mph. There are still a couple thousand people in the area without power. I got in 15 miles and didn't even get wet! :)

Why not East - Mid East (to the Mississippi R.) - Midwest (to Colorado/Kansas border) - then the West? East-Mideast-Midwest-West!



When I grew up in California, I always thought of Colorado being in the East!

I've always found it ironic that the area which became the Socialist Republic of Madison, WI was "discovered/explored" by Jefferson Davis in 1829.

Later in 1865, Davis was captured by a soldier from Madison.


I was talking about the Union Jefferson Davis, a Hoosier and general in the Army of the Cumberland. He commanded a division at Chickamauga and Chattanooga and commanded the Fourteenth Corps after Atlanta. He was pretty capable.

He was notorious for having shot dead with a revolver his commanding officer "Bull" Nelson during a quarrel in 1862 in a Louisville hotel.

Wisconsin supplied some pretty rough fellas. Arthur MacArthur, father of Douglas, won his Medal of Honor at Missionary Ridge leading his Badgers up the ridge while screaming "On Wisconsin".

Sorry to hear of your weather woes.

As to the "what to do" question...well, having grown up near Dallas on the hot, flat, muggy, smoggy, treeless prairie, I did what many have done in the past. Specifically, I went "West Young Man".

Today they're predicting 102 degrees here, but by the time it gets that hot, the humidity will be down to 10 percent or less. And overnight we're getting down into the mid-60's so we can turn off the air conditioner and open the windows.

Add in the views of nearby 10,000' snow-capped peaks, and Life is Good. :D


Note: I do miss those good ole rip-snorting thunderstorms. I used to go chasing them across the prairie with my hippie buddies long before there were "storm chasers". But, I sure don't miss the humidity that powers those storms, nor the flat terrain that allows you to see them from so far away.

I got a lesson in Bureaucracy today.
I posted above that I and others ignored a "Road closed due to flooding" sign. Well, they assigned a cop to enforce the sign and he threatened me with a $200 ticket. I said "yes Sir, I am sorry Sir" a few times and he let me go with a disgusted Look (reminded me of Lance). Anyway, the closed road had perhaps 2-4 inches water on one side only.
The detour I was sent on got me into a flooded gully with rushing water to the height of my floorboard of my Buick sedan. I really was concerned and it was touch and go. This cop apparently did not know that. It was not in his rule book.
Next the Rail to Trail IS closed. I went anyway. A very young guy from the WI department of whatever insisted that I get off that trail because it is too dangerous. I pointed out that the heavy traveled country road without a shoulder is more dangerous. He did not have that in his rule book either. I went a few miles on that road and back on the trail. Too many public servants IMHO.
BTW, the 38 mm tires do NOT sink in.

I rode on the trail out of New Glarus last November right after 3" of snow had melted, and my 38mm tires sunk about a 1/2" into the trail. It was like riding in beach sand. I gave up after 3 miles.

The sky can't seem to stop this leakage off and on again all day today here we are 3 inches up for the year and 5 for the month now, we started the month 1 inch below for the year...
Buddha must really really be mad at somebody...I wish they'd fess up and get him clamed down before we have to build an ark...I mean really where can you ride on an ark for goodness sake???

I posted above that I and others ignored a "Road closed due to flooding" sign. Well, they assigned a cop to enforce the sign and he threatened me with a $200 ticket.

Next the Rail to Trail IS closed. I went anyway. A very young guy from the WI department of whatever insisted that I get off that trail because it is too dangerous. I pointed out that the heavy traveled country road without a shoulder is more dangerous. He did not have that in his rule book either. I went a few miles on that road and back on the trail.

When they lock you up in some Wisconsin jail, please post the location and I will come and visit you.

When they lock you up in some Wisconsin jail, please post the location and I will come and visit you.

Yeah, I think that you guys in WI pay so much taxes that these well meaning public servants make a nuisance out of themselves.:rolleyes:

Today is Saturday and I went biking in IL because of all this BS in WI. It is the IL Prairie Path more or less parallel to IL173. It is paved and almost flat. There were a lot of bikers there. I wonder if they came down from WI?
Anyway, there was a bridge posted closed. An enterprising biker cut the ribbons blocking the trail. The only alternative to the closed bridge was going through a water filled ditch onto IL173. IL173 is a very busy road. No shoulder, two lanes, very fast traffic (above 70 MPH) and lots of trucks. You got to be kidding to go on that.
So I observed my law-abiding fellow Americans. Every one of them ignored the bridge closed sign.
BTW, speed limit on IL173 is 55 MPH.

I am not recommending to break the law but it bothers me if basic cleanup work is not done and substituted with policing silly rules. That just breeds contempt for all laws.
Who drives always under speed-limit? I tried it once when I got a warning in WI. It was hilarious. I became an obstacle to traffic on a four lane I90/94.

And just where would you put us Buckeyes:D:D

In a league of our own ... we're in the MIDWEST HEIGHTS!:D

I went out for a short ride on the far northern segment of the Badger Trail. They had closed signs posted at major road intersections.

I was shocked at how much water damage I saw. This trail officially opened 7 weeks ago. There were four places where the drainage ditches were now flowing directly across the trail, cutting deep 4"-6" ruts. There were multiple places where the gravel had been swept off, leaving bare mud. Other places where the gravel had been piled a few inches deep. And more places where one side or the other had significant damage & erosion. Two mud slides off of banks down onto the trail.

All of this damage was on a 4 mile segment.

They are going to have to come out and regrade parts of the trail, re-gravel other spots, dredge the drainage ditches. I'm wondering how long the trail is going to be closed, could be weeks, could be the rest of the year. There's no way they could begin work until the trail dries out, heavy equipment would just sink into it right now.

In a league of our own ... we're in the MIDWEST HEIGHTS!:D

Highest point in Ohio: 1549'
Highest point in Wisconsin: 1951'

A hill not far from where I live is 1920'.

Minnesota has a spot that is 2301'.

You do have Indiana (1257') and Illinois (1235') beat.

I went out for a short ride on the far northern segment of the Badger Trail. They had closed signs posted at major road intersections.

I was shocked at how much water damage I saw. This trail officially opened 7 weeks ago. There were four places where the drainage ditches were now flowing directly across the trail, cutting deep 4"-6" ruts. There were multiple places where the gravel had been swept off, leaving bare mud. Other places where the gravel had been piled a few inches deep. And more places where one side or the other had significant damage & erosion. Two mud slides off of banks down onto the trail.

All of this damage was on a 4 mile segment.

They are going to have to come out and regrade parts of the trail, re-gravel other spots, dredge the drainage ditches. I'm wondering how long the trail is going to be closed, could be weeks, could be the rest of the year. There's no way they could begin work until the trail dries out, heavy equipment would just sink into it right now.

Yes, and there is much damage to the Sugar River Trail as well but not as bad. I can see why MN, IL, OH and others pave their trails. In fact MN used concrete in frequently flooded lower sections.

It will not be good for business in WI if the trails stay closed. I do know how much I spend up there. That is now going somewhere else. I will be making an extended bike trip to OH September first. There are excellent paved trails N of Cincinnati.

The Military Ridge Trail, out of Verona, WI, has reopened already. It's a mature trail where they've probably fixed problems in the past to prevent as much damage. The Badger Trail, being brand new, well, you've got to find out where the water will flow during heavy rains.

If you haven't ridden the Military Ridge Trail, I highly recommend it. The section between Verona and Mt. Horeb is extremely nice. The parking lot for the trailhead is just 6 miles from my house. I may go for a ride there this afternoon.

The Military Ridge Trail, out of Verona, WI, has reopened already. It's a mature trail where they've probably fixed problems in the past to prevent as much damage. The Badger Trail, being brand new, well, you've got to find out where the water will flow during heavy rains.

If you haven't ridden the Military Ridge Trail, I highly recommend it. The section between Verona and Mt. Horeb is extremely nice. The parking lot for the trailhead is just 6 miles from my house. I may go for a ride there this afternoon.

Tom- I do know and have used the Military Ridge. It is as you say. Unfortunately it is out of car driving range for my daily exercise. That means that I am stuck going to a nearby IL prairie Path nearby until Sugar River re-opens.
Should you hear that it re-opens would you let me know. You seem to be in the know.:)

And just where would you put us Buckeyes:D:D

Eastern time zone...pretty much says it all.

Take a look at these pictures of flood damage in Minnesota. Note that one of the flooded towns was Rushford, down on the Root River Trail.

http://sevenels.net/flood/07flood.html

Sections of the Root River Trail, in and around Lanesboro, MN, are closed for repair. One 400' section of the trail washed away in the floods.

http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_6735635